


When one door closes

by Lemoncholic



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Beelzebub does not shave (Good Omens), Beelzebub has a vagina (Good Omens), Christmas fic, Cissexism, Deal With It, F/M, Fluff, Gabriel Has a Penis (Good Omens), Human AU, Ineffable Bureaucracy (Good Omens), Penis In Vagina Sex, Vaginal Fingering, a bit of heartache for Gabriel, but not that christmasy, safe sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:27:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28987797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemoncholic/pseuds/Lemoncholic
Summary: Gabriel is having the worst Christmas Eve ever.
Relationships: Beelzebub & Gabriel (Good Omens), Beelzebub/Gabriel (Good Omens)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	When one door closes

**Author's Note:**

> A Christmas fic? In January? Oh yes. The Christmas content is moderate and not the main thing here anyway. 
> 
> I took my time with this one, because patience is a virtue and I need to stop posting things, before I feel satisfied with how they look like, to prevent myself from future moments of cringe. I might write another fic to continue the story, if the mood strikes me later. 
> 
> There is some mild cissexism just because Gabriel's simple reasoning is that boobies = woman. I've categorized this as F/M, but technically it's open to your personal interpretation. 
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy.

Gabriel wiped the fogged-up windshield with his sleeve, squinting in a fruitless effort to see outside. It had already been snowing quite heavily when he had gotten into his car and driven off hours ago but the weather had only gotten worse after that and by now it was impossible to see anything through the falling snow that the angry gusts of icy wind swirled in the air.

”It’s quite a blizzard outside! All you lovely listeners better bundle up in front of the fireplace and wish Santa a safe sleigh ride tonight. As the clock strikes nine, it’s the perfect time to pull that special someone under a mistletoe and give each other some warm Christmas loving!” Gabriel turned the radio off when the first notes of _All I want for Christmas is You_ echoed in the car. Yeah, right. The best he could hope for was the person he had phoned almost an hour ago to finally arrive.

He was honestly starting to grow a bit concerned. It had been irritating to get stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere on Christmas Eve and even more frustrating to discover that every possible towing service available at any other night of the year was closed for the holidays. He had finally managed to get a hold of the owner of a small repair shop in the nearest town. They had sounded just as irritable as he was but had agreed to come try and get his car out of the snow. So far there had been no sign of them.

Grudgingly he got out of the car, the wind almost ripping the door from his hold before he managed to close it again. The snow pricked his skin like needles and his eyes watered in the wind as he pulled his coat tighter around his body. The visibility wasn’t much better than in the car and he was just about to get back inside and try calling his greatly anticipated helper again, when he could hear car engine through the howling wind. An old, banged-up truck drove to his car and he gave a sigh of relief. The person stepping out of the truck was at least a head shorter than he was, but all he could make out was a big, dark coat and a beanie. He couldn’t hear what they were saying at first in the wind and he had to ask them to repeat themself.

”I asked what kind of an idiot goes out driving around these parts in a blizzard and gets stuck in the snow!” They yelled at him. ”Help me out with the rope, will you?” It took them a few minutes to get the tow rope between his car and their truck secured before they gestured to Gabriel to go sit inside his car. He did just that, only wishing the night would be over soon and that he could be on his way far away from the rude truck-owner. It took him a long moment to realize that nothing was happening. He waited for a moment longer before getting out again and walking to his helper’s truck. He found them sitting inside, spewing profanities.

”What’s going on? Is your truck stuck too?” If looks could kill he wouldn’t have had to worry about getting anywhere anymore.

”No, it’s not. It’s an old piece of shit that has decided to break down right fucking _now_.” They punched the console angrily, seeming to direct their words to the truck as much as to him. Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows. ”Stay there and close the door or get inside! You are airing out all the heat!” He closed the door quickly, went around the truck and got on the passenger seat.

”Are you sure it’s broken? Maybe it’s just the… engine… ignition… thingamabob…” His voice faded in embarrassment and the truck-owner gave him an almost pitying look.

”Yes, I’m sure, because unlike you who can barely fill a gas tank, I work with cars regularly and I’ve been driving this hunk of junk for ten years. I can’t believe it’s betraying me now!” Gabriel was finally able to see them better in the low light of the car. Their eyes were piercing, icy shade of blue and the wild hair under their beanie was black. Under the rather cute button nose there was the most displeased mouth he had ever seen. He wasn’t entirely sure of their gender and now was not the time to speculate. Their constant rudeness only irritated him further.

”Oh, great! I call for help and the only one who answers decides to drive over in a pile of scrap-metal that breaks down as soon as they are here. Could my Christmas get any more perfect?”

”Oh, shut it. This truck has been perfectly fine until now and I only took it since there were no others available. So stop whining and let me think, city-pigeon.”

Gabriel grumbled quietly. His companion drummed their fingernails against the steering wheel. They were painted black, he noticed.

”Alright, all we can do now is walk.”

”What?! It’s a blizzard out there! Can’t you just call someone or fix it or something?”

They rolled their eyes. ”No can do. You said it yourself. It’s a blizzard out there and no one else is available at this time on Christmas. The quickest and easiest option to get out of the cold is to walk. There’s a motel about a mile from here.” They pulled on their gloves. ”You can either come with me or sit here and see if anyone drives by before next year.” They didn’t wait for his response before stepping out of the truck. All Gabriel could do was follow their example, grab his car keys and start trodding through the snow with them.

***

By the time they reached the motel, they were both cold, wet and tired. The motel was a regular shabby roadside establishment, but Gabriel was happy just to get out of the snow and into the warmth. They stomped the snow off their boots and Gabriel’s helper, whose name he still didn’t know, rang the bell at the reception. A middle-aged woman in a worn, pink robe and slippers came from the back, giving them an inquisitive look.

”Two rooms, please.” Gabriel said, trying to rub his hands warm again.

”Oh you poor things! Did you get caught up in the storm?” She asked. Gabriel was certain that his grumpy helper was rolling their eyes in a way that asked if it wasn’t obvious. He smiled politely at the woman.

”Yeah. A bit of bad luck.”

”Oh dear, I’m afraid your bad luck continues. We only have one room available at the moment. All the others are taken.” She looked a bit apologetic. ”But it’s our wedding suite and very lovely,” She assured them.

Gabriel stared at her in surprise. Before he could ask why on earth some shabby motel away from everything was booked full on Christmas, his quiet companion, who had been standing next to him, opened their mouth.

”Homeless people, right?”

The woman in her robe smiled and nodded, reaching to get the key to the available room. ”It’s the economy. A motel room here is cheaper than rent in most places at the moment and who wouldn’t want to be inside four walls on Christmas? Here you go. If you could just sign your names here, please.”

They signed their names to the reservation book and Gabriel paid for the room up front. His companion didn’t seem to have any intention to split the bill.

”Have a lovely night, dears. Breakfast is from seven to ten thirty and as you have our wedding suite, there’s a special gift basket waiting for you.” She winked her eye.

Gabriel gave her a tired smile, not caring one bit what sort of relationship she thought they had or what she might have been implying. Their room was on the other side of the building and there was a quite sad-looking Christmas wreath on the door. His grouchy companion let them in and dropped the keys unceremoniously on the table. Under any other circumstances the room would have made Gabriel turn on his heels and walk out. Whoever had chosen the decor of the room was clearly a firm believer in the idea that more was better. The walls had been painted an obnoxious shade of pink and the bed was a frilled, red satin monstrosity, somebody with exceptionally bad taste might have called romantic in the 1980’s. The light fixtures seemed to be from the same era and all the equally terrible paintings on the walls depicted rabbits for some incomprehensible reason. The most pleasant part of the room by far was the fireplace. The mantle had been decorated with tinsel and some truly hideous plastic cherubs, but the roaring fire was lovely and inviting. Gabriel shook off his wet coat and hung it up to dry.

”I still don’t know your name,” He said, tone of voice conciliatory. As his companion got rid of their own coat, gloves and beanie, he could finally see more of them.

They kicked off their boots and gave him a glance. ”It’s Bracken. Bee Bracken*.”

Gabriel followed their example and pulled off his boots. They really hadn’t been designed for a hike in deep snow and he expected them to be completely ruined after this. He pulled off his wet socks and looked at his petit helper. ”Look… I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Gabriel Archer and I am very grateful that you came, even if your truck did break down and we had to walk. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be out there in my car getting slowly buried in the snow.” He offered them a small smile and held out his hand.

They looked at it cautiously for a moment before giving it a firm shake. ”Apology accepted.” Their hand was much smaller than his own and very cold. He had a sudden urge to close it between his own hands to warm it up.

”Good. That makes me feel better, um…” He hesitated. ”I’m sorry, but… I’m not quite sure if I should call you Miss or Mister Bracken.” He felt a little awkward and hoped they wouldn’t take offense.

They barked out a laugh, looking genuinely amused. ”Is that your way of asking what I have in my pants?”

He blushed. ”Of course not! I just don’t want to offend you by calling you by the wrong title…” He felt embarrassed.

They smirked. ”There’s spite in my pants and you can call me whichever you like, although I prefer Bee.” They pulled off their oversized sweater, and finally Gabriel could see that they did in fact have breasts, although small ones, under the black vest they were wearing underneath. He decided to consider them a woman. ”I’m going to take a shower now since I have a feeling you are the sort of guy who ends up using all the hot water.” Something about her confidence and self-assured manner felt made Gabriel feel a bit taken aback. She yanked off her socks and then her work pants and moved to the bathroom door. Gabriel looked away politely. When he heard the sound of running water, he gave a sigh and began to unbutton his shirt. All he really wanted to do was sleep. He looked at the double bed and hoped it wasn’t a waterbed. Did they still have those? The thought of sharing a bed with a random woman he had just met didn’t sit right with him. Maybe he should sleep in the chair and leave the bed to Bee, like a gentleman? He looked at the chair and sighed. He could already imagine how his muscles would hate him in the morning.

Bee came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, wearing the motel bathrobe. ”Your turn,” She said and began to towel dry her hair. Gabriel stood up and wondered if he just imagined her giving an appreciative glance at his bare upper body. He probably did.

”Uh… Before I do, I think we should talk about the sleeping arrangement. If you like, I can sleep in the chair.”

She cocked her eyebrow and stroked her fingers through her hair, giving the chair a glance. ”I don’t mind. But if you are that much of a masochist, I’m not going to stop you.”

Gabriel blinked. ”I just thought that it might be a bit too… intimate… for a lady to sleep in the same bed with a guy who you just dug out of snow.”

The little ravenette looked speechless for a moment. Then she burst into laughter she seemed incapable of holding back for a moment. ”You are the first person ever to call me a ’lady’,” She chuckled, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. Something about her expression changed as she looked at Gabriel. Perhaps it was the way she seemed to relax more. ” _’Lady’_ thinks she’ll probably be safe with a Sunday school boy like you, Gabe. But if you snore, I will kick you out of the bed. Now go take that shower before hypothermia hits you.”

Gabriel smiled almost shyly before heading to the bathroom. Something about her was so incredibly genuine she felt like a breath of fresh air. He wasn’t used to it from women, or men for that matter. Not recently.

A hot shower felt incredible after the snowy walk and he felt almost reluctant to step out. The other bathrobe was too short for Gabriel and he felt a little ridiculous in it, but he really didn’t have an option.

He found Bee sitting on the bed, inspecting the gift basket. She had chosen the left side of the bed and wrapped the blanket around herself so that all he could see was her face. ”Anything nice?” He asked, knowing full well ’nice things’ to be found in the basket was as likely as a mammoth rollerblading past their window.

”Well, we have a bottle of cheap red wine.” She shook the bottle she had already opened. ”I tasted it and it’s gross.” She took another swig straight from the bottle before setting it aside and reaching into the basket again. Gabriel chuckled. ”Here we have a box of chocolates and… oh yes, they are expired. With any luck one of them has a cockroach filling.”

Gabriel shuddered. ”I think I’ll pass that one. Although I could try that bad wine.” He moved to take the bottle and took a drink. It was definitely disgusting, but at least it left behind a nice glow of warmth. He sat on the other side of the bed and leaned a bit closer to look into the basket himself. ”Oh, lovely. An entire pineapple. There’s no knife in sight so I guess we are supposed to gnaw through it with our teeth.”

”That would be a night to remember for any newlyweds passing through here.” Bee smirked. ”I think the pineapple is meant for foreplay because there are also one, two, three packets of condoms. These ones are bubblegum-flavoured. Oh, look at that! They aren’t even expired yet.”

Gabriel shook his head. ”Please tell me there are no community-use sex toys in there, at least.”

She snickered. ”Nope. Just plenty of lube and this fashionable edible thong.” She held the monstrosity up by dangling it off one finger. ”In case you get peckish during the night.” 

He snorted. ”I think I’m going to wait until breakfast.” Still, it was nice that she wasn’t snapping at him anymore and seemed to have a sense of humor.

Bee put the basket away and took another drink from the bottle before handing it to Gabriel. ”Merry Christmas,” her smile was sardonic and she moved to lie down. ”Speaking of which, why the hell were you driving around in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve?”

The anger from earlier flared inside him and his expression turned sour. Somehow, he had almost managed to put everything off his mind for a while. ”You don’t want to know, trust me.” He settled down against the mattress and pulled the covers around himself. ”What about you? Why are you working on Christmas?”

She seemed to tense just like Gabriel after her question. ”Christmas is bullshit. Nothing good ever happens then.”

Gabriel gave a bitter little huff and raised the wine bottle. ”I’ll drink to that.” Any other time he would have disagreed with her but not tonight. Not after what had happened earlier.

They lay there for a moment that seemed to stretch on. The silence felt heavy between them. Gabriel wondered vaguely if she felt as miserable as he did. He moved to turn off the light on his side of the bed and Bee did the same on hers.

”Well… Good night then.”

”…Night.”

Gabriel closed his eyes and listened to her quiet breathing in the darkness. Despite everything, his exhaustion made sure that he began to drift, sleep pulling him into its arms quickly.

***

Gabriel woke up to being shaken strongly by someone by his shoulders. His eyes opened wide, hazy and anxious as he tried to distinguish reality from the vivid nightmare he had been having. When he managed to focus his gaze, he saw Bee’s face above his own. She was frowning and he wasn’t sure if it was from annoyance or worry. The room was still dark. “Wh-what time is it?” His heart was still pounding inside his chest.

“3 a.m. You kept tossing and turning and talking in your sleep and being a nuisance in every possible way. What the hell is going on with you? Are you on the run after slaughtering your wife and kids or something?”

“…No, nothing like that,” he muttered and pulled himself to sit up, turning on the bedside lamp. She sat back too. Her robe had fallen off one narrow shoulder and he could see the line of her collar bone. She watched him with sharp eyes.

“Alright. Spill it. If whatever is on your mind bothers you so much that you are keeping me awake, then I think you need to talk about it.”

Gabriel averted his gaze and rubbed a hand over his mouth. Those piercing blue eyes felt like she could see into his deepest thoughts and it made him uncomfortable. “…I don’t want to talk about it. It hardly matters to you anyway.”

She shrugged and shifted to sit next to him, pulling the robe back up on her shoulder. “It matters to me now since you woke me up. Besides, sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger. Anyone who has ever worked in a bar knows that. And you sure seem like you need to talk to someone about it.”

Gabriel sighed. She seemed like she wasn’t going to drop it. “…Fine.” He paused and tried to collect his thoughts, even when thinking about the whole thing felt like a punch to the gut. “It’s my girlfriend… Allison… I’ve been with her for four years… We usually spend Christmas together, but this year I was meaning to fly to my family in Saint Louis. The whole thing got cancelled at last minute, so I decided to surprise her. You know, give her a memorable and romantic Christmas together. So instead of calling her, I went to grab her an extra present at the department store. It was a necklace that is just her style. White gold with a little heart pendant on it…” Bee sat quietly next to him and listened. Gabriel didn’t know what she was thinking. He didn’t want to turn and meet her eyes. “So, I went back home to surprise her.” He gave a bitter little laugh. “And I sure did. Right in my own fucking bed with a guy from her workplace.”

Bee made a small sound but didn’t say anything. He sighed.

“I just… stood there and felt so fucking empty. And then I felt angry. I just turned on my heels and left. She couldn’t even fucking wait for my plane to leave before calling that guy over.” He closed his eyes and leaned back against the headboard. The silence hung like heavy clouds between them. Then he felt her touch. A smaller hand took his own and gave it a squeeze. He opened his eyes and turned to look at her slowly. Her eyes were serious but there was no pity in them. It felt surprisingly good. He didn’t want that horrible feeling of someone feeling sorry for him with that awkwardness that came from them feverishly trying to find something to say. There was none of that in her eyes and he felt himself relaxing as he squeezed her hand back.

“She’s a cheating sack of shit.” She said calmly. “Those who betray the trust of a loved one fall into an icy lake of Satan’s tears in the ninth circle of Hell.”

Gabriel blinked. “You are a strange one, you know.”

She smirked softly. “I’ve been told.” Then she got serious again. “I know what betrayal like that feels like. It feels like shit.”

Gabriel smiled wearily. “Perfect description for it, really. I just… It feels so surreal. How could she do that to me, to us?”

“You know what helps me?” She said. “Arson.”

He gave another laugh and shook his head, looking at her with a small smile. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”

“I never joke about that.” She rested her head against his shoulder. It felt surprisingly nice. Gabriel was starting to feel that perhaps she was the perfect company for him that night. Anyone else would have only made him feel worse. She was so honest and straight-forward that he didn’t feel like she was adding her own emotional weight on the load he was already carrying.

The quiet of the room was soothing. He looked down at her and she met his eyes. “I guess I’m pretty lucky that you’re the one who came to rescue me from the snow.”

“Why’s that?” She asked quietly.

Gabriel studied her face. “Because you’re honest. You’re not faking sympathy or trying to fill the quiet with empty words.”

Her brow arched slightly and there was a spark of mischief in her eyes. “The way you are doing now?” The notion made Gabriel’s lips curve into a small smile. _Touché_.

The moment stretched on. The old heater’s clanging from the corner was the only sound in the room. Had Gabriel ever seen eyes that looked like hers before, ones that were the color of a frozen stream? He wanted to sink deep into those icy waters until he’d stop feeling anything and the only thing left would be perfect stillness.

She watched him back with an enigmatic look on her face and Gabriel wondered what she was thinking of. Slowly he raised his hand to touch her cheek, giving her a chance to pull away. She didn’t. Soft lips touched his own lightly and Gabriel’s eyes closed as he returned the slow, exploring kiss.

Bee was the one who made the kiss grow deeper and Gabriel didn’t resist when she moved to straddle his lap. His arms closed around her waist and he pulled her into an embrace. She reciprocated by slipping her hands under his robe and running them slowly over his chest.

Gabriel started to press kisses to her throat and her fingers curled around the dark hair at the nape of his neck. She didn’t wait for Gabriel to take off her robe. She did it herself. Low light of the room cast shadows on her pale skin and made her look oddly otherworldly as Gabriel took in the sight of her. Her fingers caressed the side of his face for a moment before he leaned in to kiss and fondle her small breasts. She gave a barely audible sigh of pleasure and ground down against his hips. There was no doubt she felt his reaction to her through the robe he still had partially on.

She cradled his head in her arms as Gabriel sucked and teased her nipples until they were taut and hard. Her hands moved down to undo his robe and he shook it off. Her hand curled around his shaft and his breath hitched as her hands explored him. She cupped his balls with one hand, stroking their rough surface, as her other hand started to stroke him firmly in a way that made a low moan escape his mouth.

He met her eyes again and she pressed a messy kiss to his lips. The slow exploring gave way to rising heat and Gabriel could feel Bee’s flesh rising to goose bumps as he ran his hand up the soft inner side of her thigh. Her hand around his cock gave him a squeeze as he caressed his fingertips gently over the dark curls between her legs. Running two fingers over the warm slick that was slowly seeping from inside of her let him know how aroused she was already.

There was a ripping sound and she tossed the condom wrapper somewhere without looking at it. He supposed vaguely it was one from the gift basket as she rolled it over his erection. She watched him with hooded eyes as she shifted, pushing him down on his back on the bed. Gabriel drank in the sight of her as she began to sink down on his cock. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips parted to a quiet gasp as he filled her. God, she felt good, so warm and tight and perfect. She rested her hands against his chest and began to rock her hips in steady motion. He could feel her thighs trembling slightly under his hands and he moved them to her hips as she began to ride her.

“Fuck-“ He gasped and she gave him a little grin, despite her breathing getting quicker just like his own did. She was like a wild little forest creature that had appeared to him in the snow, some enchanted thing that might vanish at the first light of the morning. She seemed so perfectly sure of herself, so comfortable and natural in her body. He cupped her breast with his hand, his hips moving in rhythm with hers.

She leaned forward into his hand, the position clearly something that added to her pleasure. Her eyes had turned black with arousal and the quiet little mewls that left her lips as she quickened her pace were much more appealing to Gabriel than any exaggerated moaning. “God, Bee-“ She silenced him with a brief, sloppy kiss to his mouth, slowing down her pace again, making Gabriel buck his hips. She pulled up in leisurely pace until only the tip of his cock was enveloped by her tight heat, only to glide back down to take him in completely. Gabriel’s gaze dropped to watch the mesmerizing sight of his length sinking between her pink, glistening cunt lips over and over again. The thought of tasting them was almost as appealing as the thought of finding his release inside of her.

His cock was throbbing, and he knew she could pull him over the edge in no time. Looking up to meet her lust-filled eyes, he slid his fingers indulgently over her swollen wetness, making her take a sharp breath as he began to rub her clit in circles. She started to ride him faster again, demandingly grabbing his hand that was on her waist and bringing it up to her chest to play with her breast again.

Their panting and the sound of skin slapping against skin filled the quiet of the room. He found quickly the ways she enjoyed him rubbing her clit the best, her movements and the sounds she made leaving no room for guessing.

“Oh- fuck!” Her clit pulsed under his thumb and her inner muscles clenched and laxed around his cock, pulling him right there with her. Gabriel came with a low growl between her trembling thighs, hips bucking up a couple of times on their own volition. Fuck, that was good. As their orgasms ebbed, Bee pulled him up into a slow, indulgent kiss that he happily returned. She was about to pull off him, but Gabriel held on to her. “Stay,” He said huskily and smiled. “Just for a moment. I want to feel you just like this.”

She looked like she was almost about to say no, but then she smiled and relaxed in his arms. “Usually I’d say no, but I guess I can make an exception for such a handsome damsel in distress,” She teased and brushed a few strands of hair back from Gabriel’s forehead. “Just make damn sure not to let that condom slip.”

He nodded, a twinkle coming to his eyes. “You think I’m handsome?”

She rolled her eyes. “Now you’re just fishing for compliments. Anyone ever tell you that you’re kind of needy?”

Gabriel feigned innocence. “Of course not. I have to be a little needy with how you are playing hard to get.”

“You’ve got your dick inside me. How much less hard to get can I be?” She smirked. “Besides, in the morning you’ll be back off to the city where pretty blondes in designer dresses and high heels turn to look at you when you walk by. The sort who you’d normally go for. Women who shave their legs and stuff.” She grinned. “I’ll be nothing but your little Christmas nightmare then. Soon you won’t even remember my face.” She didn’t seem sorry about it at all.

Gabriel’s smile softened and he ran his hand down her leg. “Maybe I like fuzzy, unshaven girls now.” She snorted and shoved him back, this time pulling off him.

“Oh, bollocks.” Bee smiled contentedly as she vanished into the bathroom. Gabriel disposed of the used condom and lay back down with a small sigh. He felt pleasantly sleepy and warm now. What were the odds that he’d end up spending the night with someone like Bee? He closed his eyes and smiled softly. He was almost asleep when she came back and slipped into the bed next to him. Without opening his eyes, he reached to grab her and pull her against his chest.

She made a small noise. “I don’t cuddle.”

“You do now,” Gabriel said, voice already a bit slurred by sleep and pressed his face into her hair. She didn’t pull away and he fell asleep with the smell of her hair in his nostrils.

***

Gabriel woke up to a distinct smell of coffee. He rolled to his side and cracked his eyes open. Bee sat on the bed in her vest and underwear with a big coffee mug in her hands.

“Hey,” He said, his voice still coarse from sleep.

She looked down at him. “Look who’s finally awake. You’re a regular sleeping beauty.” She smirked. “You slept through breakfast time, but I asked that lady at the front desk to bring us some here. I think she tried to sneak a peek of you while you were indecent.” She winked her eye and Gabriel huffed a laugh, sitting up.

“Merry Christmas, Bee. I’m glad you didn’t sneak out while I was asleep.” He smiled and got up to pour himself coffee from the pot on the table.

She shrugged. “Not much point in that considering the situation with your car. It has stopped snowing, by the way.”

“Oh, right…” Gabriel frowned.

“Don’t worry. I’ll send a couple of guys to dig it up from the snow. Just let me know where you want it towed.”

He sighed. “I guess I have to get myself back to the city without it then.” He sat back on the bed next to her. “What about you?”

“I’ll just call a friend and have him pick me up. He owes me anyway.”

Gabriel took a big drink from his mug and considered for a moment. “Or we could spend the holidays together.”

She raised her eyebrows, looking surprised. “Why?”

“Well, neither of us has plans, for a start.” Not anymore, at least. “And I like you. I’d like to get to know you better.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Gabriel felt a little hurt and held back a childish pout. “Why not? Am I not your type?”

She looked at him, her smile faltering. “It’s not that. I just don’t want to get in the middle of someone else’s relationship drama. Besides, I don’t think we have much in common. I’m a back-country mechanic and you are…” She pursed her lips. “What are you? An investment banker? A model?”

Now it was his time to laugh. “I’m a personal trainer, actually.”

She groaned. “That’s even worse. I bet you get up at five, go jog and then head back home to drink a kale smoothie or something.”

“Well aren’t you prejudiced,” He teased before getting serious again. “At least consider it.”

She was quiet for a moment, a little wrinkle forming between her brows as she thought about it. Gabriel didn’t push her further. Instead, he took some scrambled eggs and toast on a plate and began to eat. He really felt famished after such a long time without food. Bee finished her coffee and started to get dressed. Their clothes had luckily dried completely in the warmth of the room.

Gabriel watched her discreetly from the corner of his eye while he ate. He felt like laughing. She was the complete opposite of what he had always considered his type to be and yet he felt ridiculously attracted to her.

“Stop staring at me. Here’s your phone,” She said and handed him his mobile phone that had slipped out of his pocket the previous night.

He looked a bit sheepish before directing his attention to the phone. There was a dozen missed calls from Allison and he felt that ugly twinge in the pit of his stomach again. Bee buckled her belt and sat down next to him. “…What are you gonna do?” She asked quietly.

Gabriel lifted his gaze and looked at her. “I guess there’s no other option but to walk straight into the fire.” He sighed. “There’s no point in avoiding this shit. I just have to bite the bullet.”

She nodded and watched him quietly. Then suddenly she leaned in and gave him a lingering kiss. “You know what, Gabriel? Go home. Talk to Allison. Figure out what you want to do. And then…” She stood up and cupped his face between her hands. “If you are still thinking about me when February comes and still want to give it a go, give me a call.”

Gabriel looked at her with a surprise. “Really?”

She nodded. “Really. I’m not gonna be a plaster for your wounded heart, some rebound fling you think you want now because you’re hurt. I want you to get your shit together and then, when it’s not so fresh anymore and you can think clearly again, if you still think you’re interested in a dirty small town mechanic girl covered in engine grease, you know where to find me.”

His lips curved into a small smile and he nodded. They both knew that hidden in her words there was an unspoken suggestion to consider if he might want to try to patch things up with Allison and stay with her after all. “Alright. I’ll do that. And… thanks for making my Christmas less shitty. I think I’ll get proper snow tires after this one.” He winked his eye and Bee laughed. She pulled on her coat and her beanie and Gabriel stood up.

She smiled softly. “Keep your chin up, Gabe.” She stood on her tiptoes and pulled him down to kiss her one more time. “Have a good one,” She murmured as he rested his forehead against hers briefly. Then the moment passed, and she grinned, giving a pat on his bare ass, making him jump a little. “I gotta run now. Keep yourself pretty.”

Gabriel laughed. The small smile stayed on his lips when the door closed after her. She was right. Someone like her deserved better than to be dragged into the mess his life currently was. He’d settle things with Allison and get it together again. And then, come February, he’d make a call to his feisty Christmas savior who had the sharpest ice blue eyes he had ever seen and who he felt had left behind something very small but lasting into some tiny, guarded corner of his heart. She was worth the wait.

**Author's Note:**

> * I like to use Bracken as Beelzebub's surname in my human au's. I chose it as a reference to Brachycera, which is the Latin name of a suborder consisting of flies in the scientific classification. Aren't I clever?


End file.
